Tertium Non Datur
by PhoenixBlade
Summary: When two options lie before you, which one will you take? A man whom she promised to protect forever and a man whom had promised to protect her. Will she risk losing one for the other? Or risk losing it all?
1. A Half Does Not Equal A Whole

I didn't intend to write this story... but its been pestering me since last week and I just had to write it... _really _bad! I was hoping to make it into an uber long oneshot... but that wasn't gonna work well... so here it is, a chapter story. Yay... Not really. *groans* Not another one... *sighs dejectedly* I'll get to updating Snow Pearl soon... and I'm also in the works of rewriting a previous story of mine that went on hiatus once upon a time ago...

Anyway, the title of the story is Latin and translated, it means "_A Third Not Given"_. Actually, the meaning is somewhere along the lines of "_Take It Or Leave It"... _but I prefer "_A Third Not Given"_ so I'm going with that. (I don't know latin by the way. It just looked kinda cool so many apologies to you Latin-knowers out there!)

I hope you enjoy this...and review...?

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**Chapter 1: _A Half Does Not Equal A Whole_**

by** PhoenixBlade**

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_Disclaimer:_ There will be some stuff in here not for little kiddies. Some language, violence, mature stuff maybe, maybe some dark stuff and some angst. Not sure what'll come yet actually, but when it comes, it'll come...and I'll come back and edit this...

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"Just a little bit farther!" Kagome grunted out between pants, hoping that it sounded more motivational than tired.

She looked behind her, feeling her heart sank at the sight she saw. Tired and fatigued men and women dragged their weary bodies slowly behind her, some carrying the injured with them. Though it was her most earnest wish to let them rest, they were pressed for time. There was danger everywhere and anywhere. There had been several assassination attempts that she had wormed some of the entourage out of (the others had been killed sadly), especially that of their important person whom she had to protect, a ningen diplomat who was being sent to youkai lands to negotiate and discuss peace. If they did not reach the place she had in mind by sundown, she did not know what would happen to everyone, especially to the diplomat.

She grabbed onto the hilt of her sword, gripping it in hopes of lessening the unease of the situation they were in and another that she knew would soon come. Her eyes moved to the carriage carrying a few occupants, one of which was the most important figure of her mission.

"How fares Akitoki-sama?" she asked Kaede, the old miko, once her mentor, now an aging healer for the House of Akitoki.

The wise woman looked up from where she sat in carriage and let out a deep sigh that made Kagome apprehensive.

"Milord's condition grows worse by the minute. How much farther be this place ye speak of? I fear for milord if we be too late…" she answered, shaking her head.

Kagome suddenly let out a shuddering sigh, not knowing that she had held her breath. Her eyes swept over the shivering figure of the wounded lord. His condition was getting worse. This would not do, no; it would not do well at all. They only had a limited amount of time left, but she knew that they would soon arrive at the place.

The faint rustling of the trees above her took her attention and she stopped, hand ready to draw out her blade. Everyone else stopped when she rose her hand, unsure and deathly afraid at her pause. She waited on baited breath when no more was heard. A slight grin graced her mouth

"Worry not, sensei," she answered, letting her hands drop, "we are almost there."

* * *

The Lord of the West was staring at the worn bow that adorned the wall beside his father's sword, the Tessaiga. It was made of sturdy wood and tough hide. Truly, it was nothing to look at as many ningen bows looked the same, even similar to those of common youkai bows… but this particular one held something of a special quality to it, something that made his heart wrench and break. Why did it hurt so much to look upon this single object that looked to be of no interest to a passerby at all? Why did he come to this room, a room meant specifically for training and meditation, only to do neither of the two, but to look upon the two items that made him hate and ache?

His eyes moved over to the sword lying upon the pedestal. He reached out his hand to touch the sword, feeling flawlessness of it. Flawless; meaning that it was in perfect condition, undamaged, and never been used. Anger surged through him, and he was inches away from grabbing the damned thing and chucking it at the nearest wall, but restrained himself. It had been a gift from his father, a father who abandoned his family and his lands to lay with a ningen and have a hanyou with her. The cursed sword had been presented to him by his father on the day of his ascension to the title of Lord of the West, yet it was a dull and pointless blade. It was trash, like his father and his new family. Though his father now sat upon a seat among the council of elders, he wished to have nothing to do with the former youkai lord.

Tearing his eyes away from it, he returned to the bow on the wall. The anger from moments ago lessened, but did not go away. Now, it was joined with pain, a pain that stemmed from a broken heart. It was a pain that had been unfamiliar with him until he had met her, his mate and the mother of his beautiful daughter and healthy young son… but she had left him. She had said nothing to him until she was simply gone when he returned from patrolling his lands. All that was left of her was a letter on their bed, a letter full of apologies; apologies that did nothing to assuage the pain in his heart. He needed her, not a damnable letter to tell him why she had to leave!

A muffle from behind the doors to the dojo tore him from his painful thoughts.

"Speak!" he barked. He had no patience today.

There was a slight hesitation, but the guard behind the doors spoke, "There was a group of ningens that some of the scouts found in the forest. Their leader asked us to escort them here. They are currently waiting inside the gates and... their leader wishes to speak with you."

Ningens? He wanted nothing to do with them!

He scowled, "Ningens? Why would you let _ningens_ into _my_ home? Throw them out! I wish to have nothing to do with _ningens_."

The guard hesitated again, seemingly more so after Sesshoumaru's show of disgust in the word _ningen_.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, the leader _insists_ that she speak with you," he reiterated to him.

He let loose a growl. Truly, did someone wish to die today by his hands? If they wished to meet their deaths at his hands, he would be all too willing to end their life!

Wait… _she_?

"Woman? Why would a _woman_ wish to speak to me?" he spat.

Since his mate had left, women from all over the youkai lands came to him to seek his bed or his hand in marriage. He had no patience left for them, no matter what they were, ningen _or_youkai.

Again, the guard hesitated.

"Speak!" he snarled.

Yet again the guard hesitated, but a sudden bark sent the words stumbling from his mouth, though only barely a whisper. Yet as soon as the name left his mouth, the doors were flung open and the guard was thrown to the floor from a sudden and violent gust of wind. When he got his bearings back, he looked up. His lord was gone.

* * *

Kagome watched as the youkai servants of the large estate helped the injured and the weary. One of the youkai guards held his hand out to Kaede as she slowly made her way down the carriage. She felt her unease lessen a bit, but it did nothing to calm her as she knew that the lord of the estate would come barreling down for answers. He could, quite possibly, order the guards to throw her and the others out, but she had to stand her ground.

They were on a mission and were still being targeted for assassination. They needed a place to lay low for a while. Though she managed to save some of the entourage and the diplomat from their pursuers, it would do them no good to continue to their destination with wounded people. Every single one of them, she had slain, but it would only be a matter of time before the people, who wanted them dead, were able to sniff out where they were.

She suddenly felt a large wave of youki wash over her, sending chills down her spine and her hair stand on end. She closed her eyes as it pushed and pulled against her own powers. Her powers rose to meet the challenge, but she held it back and instead submitted to its weight. Despite the fearsomeness of its ferocity and awesome power, she reveled in its familiarity. How long had it been since she had been embraced by this power?

She could feel him, his presence as it was in one area and suddenly shifted to another, that being… in front of her

Opening her eyes, she was met with the figure of a tall male standing not more than a few feet from her, dressed in a simple yet stylish kimono that was white and had few designs of sakura upon it. She held her breath as he stared back at her, his eyes as a vibrant gold as she remembered it, though it was hard and cold, perhaps because of her. She took in his hair, still long and a silky silver color. Her eyes traced his pointy ears, very un-ningen-like but she had loved caressing them at one point. His skin was still as pale as before and marred with the marks that spoke of his noble and youkai lineage; magenta lines lining his cheeks and a blue crescent moon laid upon his forehead. He was still beautiful, still breathtaking, still the same…almost.

They stood there, staring at one another, neither knowing what to say as conflicting emotions filled the air. The servants, youkai and ningen stood watching their leaders, feeling anxious from the tension that spoke volumes in the air, but none daring to speak in fear of the wrath and fury of the youkai lord.

Knowing well of the silent examination of the youkai lord, Kagome looked down in submission, closed her eyes and sighed. The youkai lord did not move or speak until she opened her eyes and gave him a very small smile, full of warmth and sadness.

"Hello Sesshoumaru. How have you been?"

The youkai lord said nothing, for he knew not what to say. He wanted to scream obscenities at her and demand to know why she had returned after she had broken his heart with her abrupt departure. Yet another part of him wanted to embrace her fully in his arms, taking in her sweet scent and enjoying the softness of her body against his once more. Fates be damned, he had missed her… but he felt like unleashing the fury of hell upon her for leaving him _and_ their children.

For a long while, Sesshoumaru merely glared at her. Those ningens who knew how to wield a blade and held Kagome in great esteem reached for their swords, wary that the youkai lord would tear her head off. The youkai guards flexed their claws in anticipation of a fight as it was in their raw nature to enjoy a good fight, and these ningens seemed able to fulfill that wish. However, wariness and anticipation was slid aside when the youkai lord finally spoke.

"Woman, what is your purpose for coming here?" he asked-no-demanded her, words which were seething with unspoken resentment and rage.

The youkai lord had always been a blunt man, direct and straight-to-the point…it was also a point of his that she had loved.

Before she could speak, Kaede interrupted.

"Kagome. Sesshoumaru-sama. Apologies, but his condition grows worse by the minute! We must tend to him immediately!" she pressed.

Kagome nodded and before Sesshoumaru could speak, she ordered the youkai guards to help the unconscious diplomat off the carriage, of which they complied. She returned her gaze to him, but his eyes were still watching the scene with the injured man before him.

"Who is that man?" he asked with a slight curiosity and disdain in his voice.

"Akitoki-sama," she replied and turned to look back at the scene taking place, "he is the ningen diplomat sent to negotiate peace between the youkai and ningens."

The youkai lord said nothing, but she knew that he knew what she was talking about.

"I am traveling with him as his guard…" she started to say, unsure of what to say next.

When he made no attempt to have her continue, she spoke, though her voice had soften some.

"...and as his wife."

* * *

miko - priestess

ningen - human

youkai - demon

sensei - teacher

-sama - honorific used towards people of elevated status

Fairly easy stuff you'd probably already know...though I might have forgotten to do a few...


	2. Two is Too Much

Hey, sorry I haven't been updating as much. I've been really, Really, REALLY angry as of late. Normally, when I get angry, I can still write and be ok later...but a coworker of mine has REALLY been pissing me off lately to the point where I just wanna maim that stupid mutha(&#)**^!)!*%*&!)($#*)!*!... I still hate him, but I've calmed down some lately so I can write (somewhat) again. Anyway, Snow Pearl will be revived soon and that fanfic I was in the process of working on had been set on the backburner for now.

Till then, you're stuck with this chapter. Enjoy.

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**Chapter 2: _Two is Too Much_**

by **PhoenixBlade**

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**LIME WARNING LATER ON!**

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_She awoke to the sound of the door closing and was immediately on her feet, pouncing on the intruder. The intruder was suddenly on the floor with Kagome straddling him around the waist, hand darting around to her bare backside for something…but reaching nothing. Panic set in as she reached again and found nothing..._

_ "Ahem."_

_ Her head whipped down to the intruder beneath her. She held her breath as she looked down at the most beautiful, youkai male she had ever seen. Long silky silver hair framed his pale face. His skin was smooth and unblemished, save for the magenta stripes running down his cheeks, which served to enhance his beauty even more. A blue crescent moon was present on his forehead as his golden eyes stared back at her disapprovingly. The male didn't seem to be afraid or confused at the position that they were in, considering she had the upper hand._

_ "Perhaps you should consider your state of undress, miko, before you attack," said the amused male underneath her._

_ She suddenly darted her eyes down and after a few moments, jumped off with a face as red as a tomato and wrapped one of the blankets from the futon around her nude body. The youkai male stood up in one swift motion and with a toss of his long hair, looked as if he had never been jumped by the now angered and clothed ningen female._

_ "Who are you! Where am I!" she demanded from him._

_ He raised an eyebrow again at her, urging away the slight twitching of his cock by the sight of her arched body mere moments ago. Despite her nude state earlier, seeing her hair all tousled, skin flush and the bare skin that the loose blanket failed to cover made her look as if she had just had sex…and slightly tempted him…slightly. He groaned in his head. It had been too long since he had last had a good rut._

_ He returned his face back to impassiveness._

_ "I should be asking you that, miko," he countered, voice cold._

_ She hesitated a bit, not knowing what to answer before replying with another question that had bothered her, "Why do you keep calling me miko!"_

_ He narrowed his eyes slightly at her, annoyed at her lack of answering skills._

_ "Mikos are our natural enemies. It is only fitting that I call you, miko, for I do not know your identity," he replied as a matter of fact._

_ "My identity…?" she mumbled with a hint of uncertainty in her voice._

_ Perhaps it had been a mistake to save the miko when he had chanced upon her half dead body. He should have left her to die in the wilderness, but seeing how she clung on so tightly to life, despite how damaged her body was, was admirable. A warrior; stubborn and still fighting to stay alive despite dying, a feat like that was truly deserving of life._

_ "State your name and your business for venturing into the Western Lands, miko. I do not take too kindly to intruders on my lands, be they alive or halfway dead," he demanded from her._

_ "I…" she hesitated._

_ He waited, but when she refused to answer, he growled._

_ "An answer, miko!"_

_ She mumbled something quietly, too quiet for his youkai hearing._

_ Annoyed, he decided to make himself clear, "Miko, you will repeat what you-"_

_ "I…I don't know…" she interrupted him, surprising him and herself._

_ He raised an eyebrow. What nonsense was she spouting?_

_ She looked at him with confusion on her face and tears welling at her eyes._

_ "Who am I?" _

* * *

After her reveal to the youkai lord, his face became that of surprise and he was silent…for a short moment before his stoic look returned. He simply hnn'd, and left. After ordering the youkai servants around and seeing to her husband getting treated, to whom they obeyed without hesitation despite the long absence of their former Lady, she was led to her room, which she was currently in. Perhaps Sesshoumaru had ordered it, or perhaps the youkai maid at her side had remembered this room. She had formerly occupied said room before moving into Sesshoumaru's room permanently onward, until her unfortunate but unavoidable departure.

"Is it to your liking, Kagome-sama?" the youkai maid-what was her name?- asked her, "everything should be the same as when you left it."

She nodded and smiled at the youkai maid, "Yes, thank you…Ayumi."

Apparently that was her name, for the youkai beamed with happiness and bounced away happily after she was dismissed. Kagome sighed once she no longer heard the footsteps of the maid, and proceeded to take off her armor and clothes. Her room was connected to its own large bath, of which she thoroughly enjoyed during her stay here before.

Soaking herself in the warm waters, she sighed again, feeling the stress and aches from the day wash away. She closed her eyes and relaxed.

Never did she think to return here again. Though it had been on her mind since she had left to return to Hojo and her duties as his bodyguard and wife, she did not know if she would ever see her children or her mate again.

She sighed again, though it was more strained, feeling the tears begin to well up in her eyes and forcing it back down. How she had missed her children so! It had been her firm wish to bring them with her, but she did not want them to be without their father, and would not have bode well, for them and for Hojo. Aside from that, if she could, she would have brought Sesshoumaru with her as well… but he would have killed Hojo on the spot had he known that she was married to someone and dragged her back to the Western Lands.

Inuyoukai, as she had learned during her time with Sesshoumaru, were _very_ territorial creatures and considering that she was his mate, she was considered his property as well. Although at the beginning, she had hated being termed as a _thing_ that belonged to Sesshoumaru, but spending more time around youkai taught her that it was just his way of expressing his strong love for her. It was endearing in a way…despite how insulting it sounded.

Although she loved the inuyoukai just as strongly as he did for her, she still had to leave in the end. Once her memories had returned, she had to leave right away. If she had kept stalling, Hojo would have died and so would have…

The sound of the door opening and closing brought her attention out of the water. Who would come disturb her bath? A large screen blocked off the door and whoever had come in. A youkai had come in, her miko senses had told her, but even though she had left for quite some time, the servants should have known about her bathing habits. She liked to bathe alone without the servants help.

"It's quite all right!" she called out to whoever had come in, "I can bathe by myself!"

She heard them move from behind to the screen into her view and her eyes widened as her jaws dropped open.

There, in his all his wonderful and delicious naked glory, was her mate. Well, _former_ mate…wait, they were still mated, considering she ran out on him a while ago. What did one have to do to become _unmated_?

"But I _insist _on helping," his deep voice chuckled, making her shiver in pleasure.

Without realizing, her eyes drifted downward to his member, his hard member and she gulped, feeling herself become aroused...

No, she was a married woman. She couldn't do this. She shouldn't do this. She wouldn't.

Turning around, she shouted at the naked youkai lord, "Sesshoumaru, I am a _married_ woman. Despite our past, you are a stranger to me now. My husband is lying in the infirmary, barely clinging onto life. You can't…We can't do this!"

While she had been speaking, the youkai lord had entered the water and was now pressing his very hard self onto her backside. She felt him leaned his head forward and nip at her earlobe. She shivered when his clawed hands came to rest on her hips beneath the water.

"Mate…You are and will _always_ be my mate…" he whispered to her, dominating and lustful.

"No…we can't…" she stopped when he began nibbling on her ear.

She whimpered when his knee nudged between her thighs and one hand trailed around to her womanhood. His fingers found her nether lips and began to rub her, light and teasing…but enough was enough. She couldn't do this, this was _wrong_.

She pushed his hands away with a bit of her reiki. He growled at her action, but using her miko powers, she pushed him away earning a snarl as she felt him take a step back. His youki rose to meet the challenge, but with a little physical aid, she was able to pull herself away from his hold and turn to face him. He was none too happy with her refusal.

Before she could say anything, he pounced on her, pushing her reiki back down with his expanding youki. He'd make her submit, he always did…but as much as her body had craved for him, this was still _very_ wrong.

Although Kagome had been trained most of her life in fighting and defending herself, it wasn't enough in defending herself from him, for he could always break down her barriers and make her submit to him in the end.

Before she could move, he slammed his lips down on her, slipping his tongue into her moist cavern and beginning a long and passionate tongue battle with her. Kagome moaned in protest as he nudged her legs apart with his knees and rubbed her wetness with his skilled fingers. She tried to push him back, tried to summon up her miko powers to throw him to the other wall, but his youkai pushed her powers down so far down and her body distracted that she wasn't able to bring it back up properly.

A finger suddenly found its way inside of her, stroking her insides slowly before adding another finger with quick and rapid thrusts. Kagome managed to pull her mouth away to breathe, but Sesshoumaru's other hand immediately caught her chin and pulled her back to his mouth for another tongue battle. His fingers continued stroking her slick heat in quick and deft strokes. She tried pushing his chest away without much effort as he refused to budge. She whimpered when he hit a sensitive spot within her and she all but become a jumbled mess as the pleasure hit her over and over again, making it hard to decipher what her original plans were with this youkai. Gods, he was good, _so_ good…

He tore away from her mouth to watch her face as she moaned in pleasure at his deft fingers. He inserted another finger, filling her more and thrusting into her more roughly. His other hand slid from her chin down to one breast, fondling it and tweaking at her nipple.

"More…" he grunted as he rubbed his throbbing length against her thigh, "louder…"

She moaned louder for him and he purred in approval, speeding up his pace. She felt herself coming soon. Just a few more…

One! Two! Three!

Then she was coming, coming so hard she squeezed her eyes shut and had to bite her tongue from crying out loud. She tasted blood when she came off her high and opened her eyes with heavy breaths. Thrusting a few more times, she slipped her fingers out and looked at them. Her fingers were slicked over with her cum and she grimaced in regret. Looking up, she half expected the youkai lord to be there, licking off her cum with that wonderfully skilled tongue of his, but to her disappointment and relief, he was not there. She had imagined it all up in her mind.

Washing her hands in the water, she sat back and sighed shakily. She couldn't believe herself! Here she was, barely escaping death with a husband who was on the verge of death and all she could think about was getting laid by her estranged mate, who also happened to hate her. She was a despicable person, a wanton whore who was selfish and a fool. She loved Hojo as much as she loved Sesshoumaru. Both were two very important people in her life, but she could only have one or the other. There was no third option.

Sesshoumaru didn't share and Hojo was a monogamous person. Kagome, herself, believed in true love existing only between two people… but she was, for lack of better words, stuck between a rock and a hard place. Was it even possible to love two people at once? How the hell did she get herself in this mess?

A sudden noise erupted from her throat and she felt something wet fall down her cheeks and before she knew it, she was crying… crying in shame for loving two men and for her children who knew little of the matter…

* * *

Her weeping forced him to push away from the door to the bath. Although he had originally come her room to have a "talk" with her, once he had heard her pleasuring herself and calling out his name, he just about ran in there to "talk" her with his body into leaving that weak ningen husband of hers and return to his side. However, once she grew quiet, he became worried and stopped himself, but the tears were enough for him to understand, she loved the ningen whom she called her husband. She was ashamed of him, her mate, of everything she had with him and with their children.

The youkai lord grew furious. How could she do this to him? How could she make him fall so deeply in love with her and leave him to tend to their children and his torn feeling by himself? How could she!

In a quick movement, the servants saw their angry lord slam open one of the doors to the outside and disappear into the night.

* * *

Kagome looked up from the scroll she was reading to see how her husband was faring. His breaths were deep and slow. Though his health had been failing earlier, with Kaede's healing skills and the help of youkai medicines, they were able to heal Hojo quickly, but he needed a lot of time to rest and recover. He was still in a coma with no definite time on when he would wake. For now, they would have to wait on the treaty with the youkai elders. She would have to write a letter and send it off to them in the morning, as well as the ningen court to explain the situation. Hopefully things would be in their favor and the youkai elders would be understanding and lenient…hopefully.

Knock! Knock!

"Who is it?" Kagome called out softly.

She heard a mumble from behind the door and immediately went to open the door to see her mentor there.

"What did you say? They're here?" her heart was thundering in her chest.

"Yes, they've arrive safely!" she nodded and moved out of the way just in time for Kagome to sprint past her to the front gates.

A group of ningens were huddled inside the courtyard, hugging and crying the ones who arrived with Kagome. Some youkai guards watched them curiously while a few spoke to the servants.

"Kagome!"

She turned to see her friend, Sango the youkai taijiya, wave to her. Beside Sango was the monk Miroku, her fiancé who bowed respectfully to Kagome.

"Sango! Miroku!" she cried out in joy and ran to hug them, "You're safe!"

Miroku pulled back and nodded at his long-time friend, "Yes, and it was all thanks to that secret passageway that you told us!"

Sango frowned, "I still think you should have let us come with you rather than splitting us up."

"But my dearest Sango, Kagome-sama was only looking out for us all by giving our group the alternate and safer route," argued the monk.

Sango grimaced, "That's only because you'd rather turn tail and run."

Miroku merely shrugged, "Better safe than sorry, my love."

She slapped the back of his head in annoyance.

Kagome suppressed a smile as there was a more pressing question on her mind that made her apprehensive, "Hey, can you tell me where Rin is? Is she ok?"

Sango merely pointed before Kagome was off running again.

* * *

When Sesshoumaru was done killing the nest of hebi youkai that had invaded one of the caves on his lands, he took a quick bath in one of the nearby springs before returning to his home…which was once again, overwhelmed with more ningens. Why had he even allowed that infuriating woman back into his life, even if it was not with him by his side?

He sensed her there, among them and decided now would be a good time to tell her that he did not want anymore ningens invading his good home. Ningens and youkai parted once he came stomping through, both in fear and in awe of his radiating strength, power and great beauty. When he reached her, she was cuddling young girl, who seemed slightly older than his own daughter in ningen years.

"Woman," he growled, allowing his youki to expand and prick at her miko powers, "explain the meaning of this!"

Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru, turned back to the girl to speak a few more words before standing up and turning fully to the youkai lord.

"These are the rest of our entourage. On the way here, I split us up so that I could keep some of us safe from our pursuers," she explained.

"You did not inform this Sesshoumaru of this," he spoke dangerously, making the little girl by Kagome's side jumped in fear.

Kagome patted the girl's head to calm her down and return her attention to Sesshoumaru.

"My apologies. In rushing Akitoki-sama to the infirmary, I forgot to inform you of the second group that was coming," she merely said, almost unapologetically.

The damned woman was overstaying her welcome already. He wanted nothing to do with ningens again and yet here she was with a whole slew of them. Maybe he should have let that man she called her husband die, just to let her feel the pain she inflicted on him when she left.

"Who's this man?" the girl at her side asked innocently.

Sesshoumaru looked down at the girl, who returned his stare with wide and curious brown eyes.

"Rin, this is Sesshoumaru-sama. He's the one that's letting us stay here for now," Kagome told her.

Sesshoumaru sniffed, and his eyes widened at the small girl's scent. It couldn't be…this girl…!

"Who is this girl?" he growled.

Kagome hesitated yet again, as she had done before when answering about her husband.

"Answer me!" he snarled.

"...My daughter," she answered.

Once again, the youkai lord was stunned into silence.

* * *

Sorry Sess, life's a bitch sometimes...seriously.

Ok, fanfics to suggest. Perhaps a few of you are Spirited Away fans so I'll share this incredible and spiff-tacular fanfic with you. Go search on this site for the author **Lady Librarian** and look for her fanfic called **_A Road to Somewhere_**. The story is AU and begins with Chihiro, who is now an adult and the author of an international bestseller, which she assumes was something she made up as a child, but soon learns that what she once thought was fiction was in fact a past that she had forgotten, one which involves our favorite people at the bathhouse! I tell you now and I will tell you again and again that this fanfic deserves some sort of award(s) or a movie or something for it! Its so wonderfully written, uber long (so be patient!), full of japanese folklore and mythology, and I was squeeing the whole time I read it! The author has written other stuff (haven't read them yet) and is now on book 2 of that story so read book 1 first before book 2. Read it if you can, read it if you can't anyway!


	3. A Third Not Given

Whoa, after not updating so long, I decided it was time. So... here it is, third chapter to Tertium Non Datur! Enjoy!

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**Chapter 3: _A Third Not Given_**

by** PhoenixBlade**

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* * *

_._

_He watched her as she twirled and brought the sword down swiftly with the grace of a kabuki dancer. She wove in and out of imaginary opponents as the sword flowed to and fro in the air as if it were an extension of her. Her baggy clothes fluttered, but did not interfere with her sword practice. For a ningen, she was quite good. For an onna, what she was doing got him…aroused. Strong onna were admirable, but onna who were able to wield strength well got…interested. _

_Feeling the blood rushing to his lower regions, he let the smallest hints of a frown touch his lips. He did not desire ningens, for they were a weak species, yet he could not help but be curious about this onna. What was she to have caught his attention so well in the last few weeks that she had been brought here? Her body was sleek and voluptuous, marred in many places from many fights and battles, but her body was beautiful to him, for he was a warrior and bodies like hers, showing evidence of many battles and survival, were perfect. Though as amnesiac as she claimed to be, her body certainly remembered how to fight by the way she was taking down her unseen enemies in the dojo._

_However, in the end, she was a ningen, and he abhorred ningens for their pitiful weakness. Yet for her, he found himself baffled when he heard of her taking down even his best general the day before during their practice. She had piqued his interest and he wanted to know for himself how brilliant of a fighter she was…and how good she was in bed._

_He shook his head, needing to rid himself of such thoughts. He would try the onna, see how good of a fighter she was and perhaps, if she were a good rut, then perhaps he could get this sudden interest in her out of his system. _

_A smirk found its way to his face. Yes, a good rut, something he desperately needed. Perhaps that was why he was so attracted to this creature, this seemingly weak, but powerful creature._

"_Kagome." He called for her._

_She stopped in midstep, about to slice down another invisible enemy, and turned to Sesshoumaru with a bow. She hadn't told him that she would be using the dojo. She'd seen it one day while wandering the halls and had a sudden urge to use it…and used it ever since._

"_Lord Sesshoumaru, I apologize for using your dojo and your weapons without your permission!" she spoke up, seemingly not too guilty of it._

_He merely hn'd at her and walked to the other side where the weapons were, examining one sword in particular. Passing youkai stopped and took a peek into the dojo to see what was happening._

"_If milord wishes to use the dojo, I shall excuse myself from the premises," she said and began to walk out._

_When she was about to get to the door, she caught the flash of a sword reflecting against the wall and ducked in time to see a sword above her head. She rolled away and stayed down, not knowing what the youkai lord was doing._

"_Hn."_

_She looked at him, unsure of his action. What the hell was he doing?_

_Before she could utter a word, he moved into position, expecting an attack from her. More servants and even soldiers were starting to fill the large dojo to see the miko fight their lord. What a sight to see for them, it probably was!_

_A fight? He wants to fight me? she thought as she stood up._

_She'd heard of his prowess in battle by his soldiers, that he had no equal when it came to fighting. Hearing that made her blood boil, but not in a bad way! No! It made her anxious, it made her nervous, and it made her want to see how far she could take on the youkai lord, for she knew that though she had no memories of her past, her body held memories of all the fighting she must have done, and all the evidence of it was embedded into her skin. She did not have the soft, smooth skin of noblewomen, or the rough, unkempt bodies of peasant women. No, she was a fighter, she knew that, her body knew that well enough and now… now, it wanted to fight Sesshoumaru, to see how beautifully his body would move in the symphony of battle._

_A small smirk touched her lips as she raised the sword into position to attack._

_The dojo suddenly was filled with soldiers and servants who caught wind of their oncoming battle. Though their lord was a youkai and one of the strongest youkai in the land, he was fighting a miko, a very powerful one. Their lord was usually trained alone by himself and for him to take on a miko was a sight not to be missed!_

_She tuned them out and focused solely on her opponent, who stood ever still and ever ready for her. Without a word, she took a step forward, and another, and another, and another until she was running at him with the anticipation of a good fight. Luckily for her, Sesshoumaru was too._

_._

* * *

.

He snarled at her.

_Traitor_, she heard, unspoken words that held some truth to it.

She set her lips to a grim line when she spoke her next words to him.

"I was married and had Rin… before I met you." she told him.

The initial shock of hearing that she was married before today made him seethe and his blood boil, but seeing the result of their marriage made him see red. Kagome stepped out in front of her daughter, pushing the little girl behind her as if to protect her daughter from whatever it is that he was going to do, of which, he didn't know either.

She heard Sango pulling Hiraikotsu out and Miroku's beads clanking against each other. If she didn't do anything soon, Sesshoumaru might do something she knew he'd regret…as well as herself.

However, before she could do anything, she heard a whimper, a very slight whimper come from behind them. Both turned to see a little boy, who was hanyou though his demon heritage showed through the most, and next to him, holding his hand, was a young girl, barely younger than Rin.

"I know you…" the boy whimpered and took a step forward, but was pulled back by his sister.

The young girl scowled at Kagome, a look of hatred.

Kagome's eyes soften at the sight of them, with love and sadness in her eyes.

It was too much for Sesshoumaru, too much for him to handle. Seeing Kagome again with her other family pained him. Kami know how his pups were feeling after hearing and seeing all of this!

"Take the pups inside…NOW!" he snarled loudly at their maids.

The maids shooed the children in despite his son's protests. His daughter stomped away, anger apparent in every heavy step she made.

There was recognition and tears in her eyes as she looked at the children. Kagome took a step forward towards the children, but the force of Sesshoumaru's fearsome youki temporarily stopped her in her steps by the mere pressure of it. She fell to the ground choking for air as she summoned her reiki to stop him and protect Rin from his power. Rin, unaware of what was going on, went to her mother, but was stopped by Sango who pulled her away.

"They are no longer yours!" he snarled at her, his eyes now red like blood.

"I still love them!" she cried, breathing slightly better as her reiki pushed against his, "no matter what happened, I still do!"

"You abandoned them!"

"I had no choice!"

Their reiki and youki collided in a mad fury of pink and blue, swirling around like a tornado. Sango held Rin back more as everyone shielded their eyes from the might and fury of their chaotic powers. Suddenly, there was a loud explosion and a blinding light that threw everyone down to the ground. Just as it came, it was gone and its place was Kagome, who fell to her knees, staring off in one direction, away from the palace.

"K-Kagome?" Miroku hesitantly called out for her.

Sango wiped her eyes, trying to rid of the fading light in her eyes.

"My lady! Are you unharmed?" one of the youkai guards began to approach her but she stopped him with a raised hand.

"I am alright…" she sniffled, with her face still turned away.

"A-and my lord?"

Another sniffle. She stood up, wiping her eyes.

"I will get him," she said and leapt away in the direction where she had been facing.

"We should probably go after her," Sango said and Miroku nodded.

Sango gave Rin away to one of the maids, who took her away. However, before they could make a move, the same guard stopped them.

"I ask that you refrain from doing so," the guard said.

"Why? Clearly she's not in the right shape to go after that-that person!" Sango argued, but the guard shook his head at her.

"We've learned from our lord and lady's interactions that it would be best to let them solve their… _quarrels_ themselves," he replied.

"Their quarrels?" Sango asked, confused, "they've met before?'

"…They are mated," he answered.

The look on Sango's face confused Miroku. It was a look of utter disbelief and shock.

Frowning, he turned to the guard, "What do you mean mated?"

The guard turned to him with a grim look on his face, "For us youkai, it is a deep and intimate bonding between two youkai. It is the same as what you ningens call, marriage."

.

* * *

.

A _daughter_! he screamed in his head, she had a **daughter**!

He leveled the forest before him, taking down his enemies in one fell swoop. He changed back into his ningen-like form and laid his bloody and naked body against a fallen tree.

Learning that she had a…husband was one thing, but seeing her with a child, a child that she had begot with that husband of hers was too much for him to say the least. He thought for a moment that she had betrayed him, returning to that ningen male of hers and

He was seething, fuming at the idea that she had another family out there that she chose over their own. She had abandoned them for her other!

He picked up a rock beside him and crushed it to pieces. He was angry, _beyond_ angry. Why? Why would she do this to him? To his family? To _their_ family? Why had she chosen her _ningen_ husband and daughter? Why not Sesshoumaru and their children? Why?

He felt her presence. Slowly making its way to where he was. Should he leave? Or let her come? He did not wish to see her right now, for he was angry as hell at her… but Sesshoumaru did not walk away from anything, least of all, an onna, a ningen onna who was his _mate_.

He stiffened when she sat on the fallen tree above him, but on the other side facing away. Her sweet smell drifted to his nose and he let loose a small content sigh. How he loved her smell. It always had a way of calming him, no matter the situation. Even if he did hate her so much right now, being near her made him calm down, just a little.

They sat in silence for a long time before she finally spoke. She always did have to talk a lot, that onna.

"I married Hojo a couple of years before I met you," she started, and hearing only silence, she resumed, "and shortly after our marriage, I had Rin. She was still a baby when I left on one of my missions and got injured with amnesia…and was found by you."

He said nothing and she continued, "Hojo and I were childhood sweethearts. I had grown up with him, protecting him, as it was the duty of my clan to protect the heir to the Akitoki lordship. We went through so much together and fought against my clan and his father's refusal to let us marry. We fought them for a long time, but finally, they gave us permission to marry and we did. It was the happiest moment of our lives. I became pregnant with Rin within a few months and nine months later, I had her."

Still, silence. She sighed.

"Despite our marriage, Hojo agreed to allow me to perform my usual duties and fought with his father to let me do as I wanted to. Thought a married woman I was, I still had my own honor and duty to my clan to uphold what they believed in. Once I recovered from birthing Rin, I returned to my duties to the clan, as well as continue to safe guard my husband."

Kagome looked down at her hands.

"Being a lord, Hojo was prone to being targeted because of his family's influence, wealth and prestige. The emperor regards their family highly and has always held their family in high esteem as advisors to the crown. Rivaling lords and enemies have always tried to take out their family and it was our duty to take them out before they reached our lords. Unfortunately, on one particular trip where I was protecting Hojo, the caravan was attacked."

She frowned at herself.

"I had gotten word of the attack beforehand, but our plans were foiled when we tried to use a double. Hojo was wounded and it angered me, knowing that I let him get hurt on my watch. I managed to get him away to safety. The enemy though, I knew had been wounded and I followed them for days, not knowing where I was going, but thinking that I was getting closer to them, I continued on. Perhaps it was because I hated them for hurting Hojo and perhaps it was because I hated myself for letting him get hurt under my protection, I foolishly pushed myself to finding them and exacting revenge…but I was ambushed. I found out who the culprit was but I fought hard to survive with the intent of returning to reveal who the bastard was, but the enemies kept coming and coming at me. Just when I thought was going to die; I fell into river and went blacked out. It was then… that when I woke up, and saw you."

Sesshoumaru shifted a bit.

"I won't deny the time I spent with you or our children. I love them dearly and if I could have taken them with me, I would have."

She heard a growl.

"But it wouldn't have looked too favorably if I were to return back to my husband with two hanyou children in tow. I would have shamed myself in front of my clan and as his husband."

He snarled, "You were ashamed of your children? Just as you are ashamed of having me as your mate!?"

She turned to look at him with a retort, only to find his face mere inches away from her own, angry and fangs bared.

"No. Ashamed? No, I am not ashamed of having my children. Neither am I ashamed of being your mate," she told him calmly.

He backed off a little, but still held bared fangs at her.

"The only shame I bear is that of a mother, for not being there for my children, as a warrior, for not protecting my lord as I should have…and as a lover, for loving two men at the same time."

Sesshoumaru faltered a little. She…still loved him?

A tear slid down her face and she wiped it away.

"When I got my memories back, a part of me didn't want to return…but my love for Hojo, for my daughter Rin and my duty forced me to return. I never leave my duties half finished and in the end, I left, because I had to finish my duty as a warrior. Truly, I did want to stay with you and the children, but I still had Hojo, who I still loved, and Rin, my little girl who I hadn't seen in five years," she told him, more tears flowing freely down her face.

"I love you, Sesshoumaru, I still do, but I love Hojo too…" she sniffed.

She still loved him…even if she did still love that stupid ningen husband of hers… she still… she still loved him.

She felt his hands cup her face, making her look up at him. His thumbs wiped away the tears in her eyes. Though as impassive his face was, his golden eyes told her that he still loved her and still wanted her. His face descended and she closed her eyes, giving into his kiss.

It had started out soft and slow, but soon it became rough and feral, each seeking out the other in a mad frenzy. Her hands sought out his bloody and nude body and he tore her clothes away into pieces, forgotten amongst the debris. His tongue mapped out her body, remembering where all her sensitive points were and her hands sought out to grip onto his hair to aid him in his quest. Clawed hands groped and cut, leaving bruises and adding cuts to her already battered body, but she didn't mind. She loved it, how passionate he was in taking her and how pain could just be as pleasurable.

His mouth sought out her nether lips, licking and teasing before his tongue was diving in, seeking out her sweet nectar and thrusting in for more. She cried out for more, to go deeper inside with that rough and long tongue of his. Before she knew it, she was coming in a flash of white, but in an instant, he had plunged himself into her, filling her full to the brim and set about a harsh and fast pace.

Her back rubbed against the wooden tree in a bad way. She knew her back would be raw by the time he was done. In and out he thrusted, growling like a mad dog, loving the way she fit around him as she had always did. She was his, she was meant to be his and he would make sure she knew it before the stupid ningen male she called a husband woke.

Kagome was screaming in pleasure. She couldn't take it anymore, she was going to..!

In one harsh, brutal thrust, she came hard, forcing him to come with her. He howled and as he poured and poured his essence inside of her until it was spilling all over the ground, forming a little puddle of their combined juices. He continued to thrust; forcing all of his seed into her, reminding her just how much he had missed her and what she had missed out on when she went back to Hojo.

This, she truly missed this. She missed how breathless she got after she came; how she shivered at the feeling of his warmth fill her, and how the little bouts of pleasure from her sensitive sex sent tremors all over her body. Most of all, she missed how Sesshoumaru would cuddle with her every time after sex.

Hojo cuddled with her and she loved it too, but Sesshoumaru's cuddling was unique as well, the way his overheated, hard and chiseled body would mold around hers, protective and warm. Hojo's body wasn't as defined as Sesshoumaru, who was a warrior, but was a bit softer, for he was more a scholar than a warrior, but the way he held her afterwards made her feel like a normal woman, without all the duties and without all the hardships.

Sesshoumaru pulled out of her suddenly, penis still hard, and turned her to lean over the tree. She grimaced at the pain on her back, gripping hard onto the bark to refrain from crying in pain. She felt their juices spilling out of her and oozing down her thighs. Before she knew it, he was pushing himself inside of her again and thrusting anew. The air became filled once again with their moans and sounds of their cum-soaked skin slapping against each other.

She mewled as he fondled her nipples and laved at her torn back, relieving it of the pain. His balls slapped against her wet thighs, splattering any dripping cum all over their legs. He started thrusting faster and faster until she was screaming his name again and he was gripping onto her hips like there was no tomorrow. Soon they came together in another climax, leaving them to collapse over the fallen tree, panting for air. Kagome whimpered as she felt his penis expand, knotting with her, trying to get her pregnant, but she was not in heat. She winced at her oversensitive sex as he once again pumped little by little into her, forcing the rest of his seed out. They waited until his penis went limp before falling to the ground and succumbing to sleep.

She loved both of these men, her kind ningen husband and noble youkai mate. How could she choose between these two in the end?

.

* * *

.

No she is not a whore, so stop thinking that. She's just a woman torn between the two loves of her life, her children and her duty.

To tell you the truth, this idea came about after watching countless movies and korean dramas about half brothers/sisters who weren't actually blood-related, characters dying from getting hit by cars or some disease and then not, or amnesiac people who had a previous lovelife before their amnesia and then finding out that they had a previous lover prior to the current lover and then finding out that previous lover was actually fake and they end up with the current one, blah blah blah, stuff like that. So I decided to work with the latter and say, "Hey, what if it did happen? What if said things actually happens and instead of staying with the obvious and current love, they returned to the previous one and somehow later, meet up again with the formerly current one? Then what? What happens from there?" Man, the ideas that sprang up from things like this... I really recommend you guys taking ideas like these and running off with it to create something spifftacular, of which I know you awesome authors and readers out there will do! So really, this is a experiment in progress (even though the ending is already in my head). I'm kind of rushing the story a bit though, cause Snow Pearl is taking FOREVER to finish and I don't want this one to end up like that.

Till then, toodles!


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